PowerShell FAQ: Top 5 Questions about PowerShell from the Field

Hi folks, my name is Thiago Cardoso and I deliver workshops and custom support for our customers related to PowerShell, and I wanted to talk to you today about the top 5 questions I receive in the field:

1. Is it possible to update Windows 7 with PowerShell version 5?

Yes, you can do this via WSUS, Windows Update, or direct download with Windows Management Framework 5.0 via aka.ms/psv5.

As a friendly reminder, PowerShell 5.0 is backward-compatible. For example, PowerShell 2.0 will generally work in Windows PowerShell 5.0 without changes.

Remember to check if your installed products support PowerShell version 5, but my personal recommendation is update to Windows 10, which has PowerShell version 5 built-in by default.

Ok it’s two question, but let’s go. Providers are a way to work like folders, but while you are working with other data such as registry, certificates, Active Directory and IIS. For example, I need to get windows time services information:

cd HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\w32time

dir

Remember cd is an alias to set-location and dir is an alias to get-childitem

If you want to know more about PowerShell, you can use this free course at MVA (https://aka.ms/MVAPSAD), or you can attend a premier WorkshopPLUS – Windows PowerShell v4.0 for the IT Professional – Part 1(https://aka.ms/wkspsv4p1). For the workshop you do need to have a Microsoft Premier contract. For more information about workshops, talk with your TAM or Microsoft contact, and tell them Thiago sent you.

I wish it were possible to install PowerShell 2 side by side with PowerShell 5. I need to test my PowerShell scripts for compatibility with PowerShell 2 before we deliver them to a customer who uses that version.